It’s that time of year for making your resolutions. Love ’em or hate ’em, it is great to feel like you can set a goal
(even if it only lasts a few weeks). Joining our staff this month is acoustic guitarist Alex De Grassi.
Feel free to send your resolutions to us at
info@premierguitar.com.
John Bohlinger – “Last Call” Columnist
What am I listening to?
Creedence Clearwater
Revival’s
Willy and
the Poor Boys. The
Dude abides.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
Stop playing my same tired, old licks and begin
playing somebody else’s tired, old licks.
Joe Coffey – Editorial Director
What am I listening to?
Heart’s
Red Velvet Car.
It signals the arrival of
another well-crafted era of
Heart. The record features
some really tight songs and grooves while revealing
the Beatles’ influence on Ann and Nancy Wilson
more than ever before. Nancy’s rich and snappy
signature Martin HD-35 drives much of this
record—talk about a gorgeous acoustic rock tone!
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
Don’t let those ideas slip away—I’m going to hit
“record” before I lose them this year.
Andy Ellis – Senior Editor
What am I listening to?
Jesse Harris,
Cosmo. Though
Harris is best known as an
outstanding singer-songwriter—
he wrote the Norah
Jones smash, “Don’t Know Why”—this instrumental
album proves he is also a superb composer. On
these 12 tightly wrought pieces, Harris blends his
acoustic and electric fingerpicking with organ, horns,
drums, and mallet percussion.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
When soloing, sing every note I play—aloud
or
sotto voce.
Shawn Hammond –
Editor in Chief
What am I listening to?
Big Sandy & His Fly-
Rite Boys,
It’s Time.
Fantastic revivalist rockabilly
that’s big, warm,
and unfailingly swingin’.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
I’ve got to find out which pickups will give my
hollowbody axe (
not the one pictured here) the
perfect blend of twang and clang. I also need
to hear what a TV Jones Classic or TV-HT will
sound like in the bridge position of my Schecter
Ultra III. Oh, and find the perfect amp.
Seth Hansen – Multimedia Coordinator
What am I listening to?
Tame Impala,
Innerspeaker. The debut
album from these Aussie
psychedelic rockers is
drenched in phase, fuzz, and delay—some of my
favorite sounds. Underneath all of that dreamy
atmosphere and swirl are layers of amazing guitar
and vocal hooks. Definitely worth multiple spins.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
Finally take the time to write and record at least
one song a week for three months, no matter
how each one turns out.
Chris Kies – Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Johnny Cash & Willie
Nelson
VH1 Storytellers.
This album isn’t big on
production, but to hear
these two Highwaymen swap stories between
their stripped-down hits makes this ’98 release a
classic. But for good measure, Willie goes twostepping
with Trigger on “Folsom Prison Blues”
and “Funny How Time Slips Away.”
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
I’d like to pause my chase of that elusive
tone
and sharpen my rhythm playing and whip the
right hand back into shape.
Alex De Grassi – Guest Picker
What am I listening to?
I’ve been working on an
instructional book, so I’ve
been revisiting some of
my seminal influences,
such as Mississippi John
Hurt, Bert Jansch, and Paul Simon. Beyond
that, it’s the usual eclectic mix—John Adams,
Motown, Oumu Sangaré, Albert King, Egberto
Gismonti, and Holst’s
The Planets. Those brass
arrangements never fail to recharge my batteries.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
I need to write and record more, and get back to
my own music. I’d like to do more with guitar
and orchestra, guitar ensembles, and duos with
non-guitar stringed instruments.
Charles Saufley – Gear Editor
What am I listening to?
“Albatross” by Fleetwood
Mac and “Genesis Hall”
by Fairport Convention.
These two songs have
been favorites for as long as I can remember.
But for the last two weeks, I’ve been positively
obsessed again. Peter Green, Danny Kirwan, and
Richard Thompson are so economically deadly on
these tunes. No fireworks to speak of, just some
the tastiest, most restrained, melodic, singing, and
gorgeously melancholy guitar sounds I know.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
Come up with something half as cool as any five
seconds of “Albatross” or “Genesis Hall.”
Jason Shadrick – Associate Editor
What am I listening to?
Corey Christiansen,
Outlaw Tractor. There is
just something about the
combination of guitar
and organ in a jazz setting. Here, Christiansen
and organist Pat Bianchi combine blazing chops,
great writing, and a greasy soul vibe into one of
my favorite jazz albums of 2010.
What is my guitar resolution for 2011?
Get more into recording. Learn more tunes and
finally get serious about transcribing.